from Norm Sanders of the News-Democrat,

Nearing the end of a grueling stretch of nine games in 15 days, including seven in the last 11 and three in the last four, the St. Louis Blues may be showing signs of slowing down.

After a franchise-record 13-game unbeaten streak, they were pounded 7-1 at Columbus on Friday and then failed to deliver again Sunday in a 4-2 home loss to the rival Chicago Blackhawks. The game Sunday was tied 2-2 headed into the third period, but Chicago controlled play after that.

“Most of us took yesterday off,” Blues captain David Backes said. “We’re getting the rest on the off days and everyone’s kind of got a chaotic schedule this time of the year. I think we had a lot of jump the first two periods (Sunday).

“We were playing on our toes, getting in on the forechecks and turning pucks over and having some extended zone time, trying to force our game onto them. We did a pretty good job of that.”

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was in no mood for questions about a potentially tired team.

“I don’t look at it like that,” he said. “I look at it like we lost a close, hard-fought hockey game. It was a hell of a hockey game. We’ll rest up and move on to Tuesday (against Arizona). That’s all I look at right now.”

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